Denton fires from hip for
Rabbitohs

South Sydney supporter Andrew Denton has urged club officials to embrace the latest proposal from Peter Holmes a Court and Russell Crowe, warning that the NRL club won't survive without change.

And the media personality reignited his public feud with Rabbitohs patriarch George Piggins, labelling him the "single biggest obstacle between South Sydney and it's viability".

A joint meeting of the boards this week resolved to form a sub-committee to work through any proposals put to them following

Holmes a Court's offer to underwrite the ailing leagues club's debt as an incentive to unite the wealthy Souths Juniors with the leagues and football clubs.

Denton said the sad financial state of the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club, chaired by Piggins, meant there was no option but to implement the plan.

"I don't think the South Sydney football club will survive as things are currently set up," Denton said.

"We have had 30 years of failure, I think it's time to look at a new way of thinking before it's too late.

"I think any proposal that removes that millstone from around our neck and encourages the Juniors to take full participation in the football club can only be positive.

"The absolute bottom line is the financial management over the last three decades of the South Sydney Football Club and the South Sydney Leagues Club has been a disaster, the club is on the brink of extinction.

"I say bring in professionals with the passion, resources and a modern way of thinking because I don't think there is an alternative plan."

Denton and Piggins were at the centre of a heated slanging match two years ago when the TV host supported a rebel ticket against Piggins's chairmanship of the embattled club.

At the time, Piggins called Denton a wimp on radio and told him he would put him on his backside, sparking an on-air slanging match.

Denton today again took aim at the former hooker, calling on him to extricate himself from anything to do with the Rabbitohs.

"I think the single biggest obstacle between South Sydney and it's viability is George Piggins," Denton said.

"If you read the files, you would think the South Sydney football club exists only to maintain the legend of George Piggins.

"Everyone seems afraid to say this because George is the hero of Souths, he has been on the field and off the field.

"But it doesn't alter the fact everything he has done for the club in a management sense has been a disaster.

"We have a leagues club which owes (the Juniors) money, that's how tragic it is under his chairmanship.

"He's had over 20 years with his hands on the wheel and he's driven the club into the wall.

"At the time Nic Pappas become chairman, George Piggins challenged him about the big end of town - 'You bring in the big end of town and I'll step aside'.

"Well Kerry Stokes, Peter Holmes a Court, Russell Crowe, you show me where the big end of town is if that's not them.

"I've heard George often say, `I'll step aside for the good of the club' - perhaps it's time he did."

Denton said he would love to see the Rabbitohs continue to play in Redfern, but said commercial considerations meant this was no longer a viable option.

"Let's talk about the real world here. Everybody would love to see Souths play back at Redfern, but wishing isn't going to make it so, he said.

"There's a whole lot of other people that have put money and have interests in this area who also have a right to it.

"Maybe, just maybe, the fans and people of South Sydney are going to have to compromise that dream to a football field that was used 20 years ago."